UB Group wins US patent to market diet whisky and vodka

Published: 23 July, 2008

Vijay Mallya said at the London Business School (LBS) that his research centre in Bangalore has managed to convert the active ingredient found in an Indian fruit believed to fight obesity into liquid form.

He has secured a US patent that will enable him to add the fruit into whisky or Vodka.

"The plant called Garcenia contains some natural substances that works on your digestive system and actually breaks down your sugar cells and fat cells," Mallya told students.

"It has been used in the US health food industry for decades. But making this Garcinia soluble in liquid is a technology that we have developed and patented in the US," he confirmed.

"So we now have a legitimate diet whisky and a legitimate diet vodka," which had been successfully tested for calories.

Mallya said the manufacturing and marketing of the product had been delayed due to issues with the European Union over classification.

The event at the LBS was organised by the UK India Business Council and the business school's India Business Forum.